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Monday, March 26, 2012

Winter's Light

Review Time! I tried to get this up before now but time hates me ( I'm sorry Charlotte - please forgive me)! On the bright side - it's still a couple of months before the Australian release date. Winter's Light is the sequel to Winter's Shadow by M.J. Hearle which was a 2011 YA Debut. Everyone be very impressed because this book is written by a guy in a female perspectives. Thank-you Pan Macmillan for the ARC!

(Goodreads)Blake is gone.He sacrificed himself to save Winter, leaving her alone, unprotected... hunted.An ancient enemy is rising, but Winter is no longer the innocent girl who was fated to die at Pilgrim's Lament. She will not wait to be saved. She will do what she must to survive, even accept an unsavoury alliance with those who destroyed her love.In the gathering darkness, the enemy of an enemy is not always a friend, and Winter must find the strength to stand alone and fight for the one she loves. For she is the key to unlocking the secrets beyond the veil of shadows.And she is Blake's only hope.

The Short Story? - A fantastic addition to a deliciously enticing paranormal series! Hearle sure know how to write one heck of a cliff hanger! Winter's Light was a treat to read from cover to cover. Filled with mystery, action, sacrifice and loss Winter's Light completely blew me away! A sequel I would definitely invest in, Hearle hauntingly beautiful world-building will have you craving for more!

The Long Story? - I did a double-take when I first received the book - it's HUGE. Sitting at 440 pages, for someone like me who rarely ventures past the 350 page mark - I was a little unnerved. However Winter's Light had me hooked from page 1 and I was completely captivated by this well-written story. I think it's safe to say that I enjoyed Winter's Light more than Winter's Shadow. Romance takes a backseat but it still plays a huge part directing the course of the novel. Hearle take us out of small town Hagan's Bluff and into France where Winter is faced with new challenges that will do anything to separate her from her beloved Blake. Fantastic twists and turns, completely unpredictable and filled with action. I'm especially impressed with the final showdown, Hearle has written a fantastic finale in which he has left as a cliff-hanger *shakes fist*! One thing is for sure though, I will be biting my nails waiting for the release of book 3! Extraordinary work!

I don't think I'm ever going to get over how well Hearle writes as a girl, I harbour secret theories about his gender.... but that aside, the characterisation was superb! From the moment we were introduced to Winter in Winter's Shadow, I've always taken a liking to her. She's quite timid and shy but she's got a heart of gold and her determination and faith and love really is something to be admired. She's a strong character and in many ways she's a heroine but I feel that at times she's a little bit of a damsel in distress. I think what Winter needs is martial arts lessons! But she's such an amazing character, I really admire her strength. I've taken a liking to Jasmine and Sam in Winter's Light, both play an essential role in the novel and their fierce friendship with Winter was touching.

In a nutshell - Winter's Light completely took me by surprise. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this beautifully crafted novel that makes some of the other YA paranormals I've read look like ... well, crap. Loved Hearle's world-building, the concept of the Deadlands and the Bane and everything in between was original and a delight for a reader's imagination. Fantastic characters that inspired me and make me want to jump in the pages and fight besides them. Winter's Light is an unputdownable novel that's a jewel amongst the rest. Two thumbs up!

5 comments:

Hmm, I'm wondering if these are available in the U.S. I'll be checking. They sound great and the longer, the better if it's a good story to me. I love reading great characters but not so much the cliffies. But you seem to really like this series. Here's hoping they're available here. Great review!

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Please note that I only read books that fall into the genre of YA or adult fiction that crosses with YA. I do accept ARCs/books from authors, publishers & agents. No ebooks please. Check my Review Policy Page is you are still unsure.